Ban importation of deboned meats, govt advised

By MAILESI BANDA Government should consider banning the importation of deboned meats as they are risks for spreading Listeriosis, a trade consultant, Chambuleni Simwinga has said.

Mr. Simwinga said it was important to effect such a ban because Zambia and South Africa, the country which has recorded the outbreak of the disease, both imported their mechanically deboned meat from Europe.

Mechanically deboned meat (MDM) is small processed chicken paste that is used to produce processed meats.

The process is done by firstly harvesting chicken breasts and thighs and then subjecting what remains to high pressure machines that separate the carcasses and the chicken bits which are then made into purees to form a paste that is used in processed meats.

Speaking in an interview with the Daily Nation, Mr Simwinga noted that banning the imports will protect both the economy and the health of the citizens.

“Zambia imports MDMs but, do we subject them to inspections? We have had discussion with regard to the importation of MDMs and their impact on the economy and especially health of the consumers and not forgetting the industry,” he said.

He explained that South Africa was currently struggling to contain Avian Influenza a deadly bird disease and now Listeriosis, adding that this should serve as a lesson to the Government that it should be proactive and avoid unnecessary expenditures that could be caused by a disease outbreak.

South African imported 202 million kilograms of mechanically deboned chicken last year, most of it from Brazil and in December 2017 alone, 12 million kilograms of this product was imported from the same country according to the SA Poultry Association.